Performance Metrics 4: Scorecard Analysis 2

Performance Metrics 4:

Scorecard Analysis 2

In this lesson we break down the results from my recent tournament competition. We’ll see how to analyze the stats and then use the analysis to determine game priorities. Then we’ll translate those priorities into a practice plan. This approach of breaking the game down and then selecting specific statistics to improve is one of the keys to high performance golf. It’s an approach that will help all players – no matter their level of play.

The best way to improve your golf game is through highly focused practice. That means spending 80% of your time on the one or two key areas that will make the biggest impact on your score. As you’ll see from the video there are two areas that jumped out of my play – driver accuracy and mid-iron distance control. These become my top practice priorities, and the majority of my practice time will be spent improving my stats in these areas. By keeping a few simple stats while I play I am able to get insights that will help me improve faster and use my practice time much more effectively.

RECAP – GOALS

In an earlier lesson I mentioned that although I had been practicing it was time for me to find out where I should be spending my time in order to make be as productive as possible. I decided to play in a professional tournament because there are no gimmies or do-overs in a tournament, which is what I wanted.

I set a number of goals for the tournament. The first goal was to establish what I call a baseline performance level. I wanted to know what parts of my game were working and which parts needed the most attention. You can usually get a pretty good feel for that from the round, but it is when you back up your impressions up with stats that the real insights come out.

My second goal was to have fun. One of the keys to having fun is taking the pressure off. I did that by deciding in advance to play without expectations. Although I always want to play well enough to win, my primary purpose was simply to observe and learn. Suspending expectations is a great way to keep your round in perspective.

Smart Golf Goals

I also had a number of performance-specific goals – mostly centered around the mental aspects of the game. These goals fell into two categories: playing smart golf, and managing my mental process.

My goal with respect to smart golf was to make good decisions with respect to course navigation and good decisions with respect to game management. Specifically I wanted to play each hole backward to determine in advance where I wanted to place each shot, and to put myself into a position where I was playing from my strengths as much as possible, while not playing against the strengths of the course.

When it came to game management my goal was to select a shot strategy where I had a high level of confidence. The overall idea is to adopt a conservative strategy so I could make an aggressive swing. I was largely successful with both course navigation and game management strategies, and it helped with my scoring.

The Hero Shot Mistake

The one time I deviated it cost me at least one shot and maybe two. I attempted a “hero” shot on a par 5. I was within striking distance with a hybrid on my second shot, but I had a lie in the rough with the ball below my feet to a green with water in front, out of bounds right, and trees left. The smart play would have been to lay up to my favorite wedge distance.

But in that moment I’ll admit I was thinking about how cool it would be to hit the green, make the putt for eagle and possibly pick up a skin on the field. The problem is that it was a shot I could pull off only about 2 in 10 times, which is why we call it a hero shot. I wound up putting my ball in the water, which goes to show you how hard it is to stick to your strategy. I imagine it is a lesson I will continue to learn. I graded myself a “B+” on my smart golf goals.

Mental Toughness Goals

My other goals with respect to the mental aspects of the game were to trust my swing and maintain a target focus. I wanted to play without mechanical swing thoughts and trust that my athletic brain would be able to create the shot I imagined.

For the most part I was successful with my mental toughness goals. Early in the round there was a little corner of my mind that was wondering what would really happen. I could have let that uncertainty take over, which would have manifested in me trying to control the swing rather than swing tension free. The first few holes were definitely a challenge. But after the third hole I was pleased that I was able to put the uncertainty down and just commit to my strategy and shot selection. I grade myself a solid “B+” in this area as well.

Breaking Down The Stats

Here are the raw numbers from the round: I shot a 77 (+6 over par), with 32 putts (and three 3-putts). I hit 8 of 14 fairways (57%), and 9 of 18 greens (50%). My average first putt for greens in regulation was 26 feet, and 14 feet on up&down opportunities. My up&downs were only 40%.

Priority Number 1 – Driver Accuracy

Here’s what really jumped out at me from the stats. First, when I hit the fairway I made par or better 6 of 8 times (75%), and I was -2 under par. Contrast that to the times I missed the fairway, where I made bogey or worse 5 of 6 times. In fact, when I break down my driving further I used a 3-wood twice and a hybrid once (all of which found the fairway), so in reality when I used my driver I hit the fairway only 5 of 11 times, or 45%. The implication is clear: Hitting more fairways is critical.

But the great thing about this stat is that it give me a very concrete starting point and allows me to set specific goals. When I go to the range my goal will be to improve my fairway percentage to 65% initially, and then 75%. To do that I’ll pick out markers on the range to define an artificial “fairway” and hit 10-ball sets to see how many stay in the fairway. I’ll track my progress over time, and use the feedback to help me focus on different aspects of my golf swing.

The beauty of using a stat like this is that all the work I do on my swing and on my target focus has one purpose: improve my fairway percentage. All the practice I do can be highly focused and evaluated with respect to whether it is helping me improve my accuracy or not. In other words, I won’t just be trying to improve my swing. I’m only going to be making adjustments and refinements if they contribute to more accuracy. And since I will be tracking my stats on the range I will have concrete knowledge that what I am doing is working.

I hope you can see that this is a very different approach to spending time on the range. It is far more productive than just banging range balls with the vague hope of trying to improve consistency. This is specific and measurable. It allows me to select specific drills and it give me a framework within which I can evaluate the effectiveness of the drills and my progress. I also know that if I can improve my fairway numbers to 65% it will save me two to six shots per round. That keeps me motivated because I know what the payoff will be.

Priority Number 2 – Mid-Iron Distance Control

Here’s the second priority from the stats. As I mention in the video I would normally be headed straight to the short-game practice area if my up&down percentage was only 40%. But when I use the stat to reflect on my short game and tie it back to what really happened, I know that many of the up&down opportunities were impossible. They were impossible because my approach shots kept putting me in positions where I could not get my pitch close.

The real culprit, it turns out, was my yardage control with my mid-irons (7, 8, 9 irons). I was long with these clubs (read “over the green”) all day, and in a “short-sided” position with the green sloping away and no chance to get the ball to stop near the hole.

In contrast, when I had a wedge into a green my distance and direction was usually quite accurate. I have been practicing my wedges and I know my distances to the yard. But not so with the mid-irons.

So the lesson from my round is that I need to “gap” my mid-irons. That means I need to hit a number of 10-ball sets with each of my mid-irons, plot where each ball lands and the yardage it flies, and come up with a standard distance for a normal, full swing.

Summary

I established a baseline performance level with my round. By keeping stats and combining that with what I felt and remembered from the round I was able to identify my top priorities with a high degree of specificity. Since I have metrics I can now frame my practice sessions and select the drills to help me achieve my goals. The framework also provides me with a context that allows me to evaluate the effectiveness of the drills as well as a way to measure my progress.

The next step is to head out to the range and execute. In the next video I’ll show you exactly how I plan to work on my priorities. My hope is that by showing you the process that I use you, too, can integrate high performance techniques into your own game and practice to start playing your best golf.

If you found this analysis helpful, please leave a comment and your thoughts below. Please share this article with your golfing friends.

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3 Responses

Having some confusion on what three different drills to use when working on ” Swing Preformance Measures” and B.L.A.S.T. segments. Is there a list of how to drills? Why try to invent the wheel if someone has done it. Checking center contact just powder the back of the ball.

Hi Eric – The last key component of distance in the BLAST sequence is Target. That is your performance metric. The rest of the drills are designed to help you with your swing technique. There is a difference between working on swing technique and performance. Working on swing technique improves performance, but only over time. Working on performance metrics, like center contact and number of fairways hit, is about getting better today, using the swing you currently have. The best practice combines both approaches – performance, and swing mechanics. Hope this helps!

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS

"Eric, This is superb instruction. Very clear and easy to understand. I have countless books and videos on golf instruction but you are the first person to explain these principles so clearly. I have been struggling for years with hitting from the top and now after watching just a couple of videos I have very clear idea of how to finally overcome it. Thank you very much." Don

"Eric - After the dozens of lessons I have had from accomplished PGA pros and the hundreds of hours I have spent practicing my swing I did not believe I would ever be able to overcome my obsession with the mechanics of the swing. Nor did I believe it was even possible to will myself into “the zone” and, potentially, stay there for long periods in spite of the chaos going on around me. Nor did I believe I could apply the concepts involved in the full swing to every part of my game with ease and immediate results. After reading The Five Keys to Distance and practicing your drills for a few months I now know I was wrong on all counts! Your methods are pure genius!" JM

Hi Eric,
"I wanted to send you a big thanks to your 5 Keys to Distance program. It has done two very important things with my golf. The first is that it has increased my ball flight carry by 10% in only a few weeks. And secondly and the most satisfying is it has given my whole golf game in particular my shots from scoring range (100 yards and closer to the green) pure control with my centered balance. So I can't thank you enough. Your balance drills I do without fail each morning before breakfast, and it will continue to be my daily routine. Without Balance The Club Can Not Swing!! Kind regards." Clayton P.

"Eric, I know you promised me 20 more yards with my driver. I'm actually getting more like 30 yards and sometimes even 50 more yards. But what you didn't mention is the added distance WITH EVERY CLUB IN MY BAG! I'm hitting all my irons at least one club longer, plus I'm really compressing the ball now. It's so much fun! You should tell everyone about this "extra" benefit from your program!" Gerry M.

"Eric, I have to tell you that I’m absolutely delighted with your drills. They make perfect sense to me, and I’m actually enjoying doing them because I can tell intuitively that they will make a real difference. I have for a long time avoided going to the range because I felt that I was simply reinforcing my mistakes. I am going to the range now with quite a different attitude because after only two sessions on the range I can see improvement already. I’m determined to keep up with the drills, and I can tell you that your presentation of them is excellent. I’ve had lots of lessons in the past from some of the best "swing gurus" in the world. But none of them have made a real difference to my swing like you have. I’m very excited now because I can already feel the difference. Best wishes" Jeff W.

“Eric, After several weeks of study and practice on the first section of BLAST the results have been OUTSTANDING! At age 73 my driver length ranged between 175 yards and 210 yards. Now with some extensive training from you the distances are ranging from 220 yards to 255 yards. The 255 yd. distance was achieved after working on the BALANCE, LEVERAGE & ARC WIDTH drills. Thank you for your help. I almost resigned myself to play from the seniors tee or give up golf!” Dick B.

"I just wanted to follow up with you regarding my progress while using your program. After just 3 months I am seeing a lot of new and exciting things happening to my golf swing. I find that I am hitting all of my clubs longer and more squarely than ever before. Every shot I hit now feels like it is hitting the sweet spot and is going very straight. My club head speed use to be about 90 mph now my club head speed is on average 110 mph. The main key for me was increasing my hip speed and reducing my grip pressure. My old swing was very arm dependent and now it feels like I can swing much faster with a lot less effort. Thank you again for your great series." Jorge O.

"Hi Eric, I recently purchased your instructional videos on Long Drive. They are the best golf teaching tool I have ever found. Your explanations of what to do and why are outstanding. I am a structural engineer and have a good understanding of the physics, mechanics and dynamics of the golf swing, so your explanations are especially meaningful to me. At age 63, I am still reasonably fit and strong, and your instructional videos have increased my average distance per club by 15 to 30 yards. Thanks for excellent videos!” Barry

Hi Eric,
"I ordered your book and DVD a few weeks ago and I'm getting a lot out of it! I'm going very slowly, but thoroughly. Thanks very much for writing it. I've read tons of golf books, but no one has ever put as much emphasis on balance and FEELING what the body is doing during the swing. The drills bypass the intellect and force the body to "get it" directly." Pete

"Eric, I received your book yesterday and have been reading it and highlighting ever since. Your book, DVD, and interviews are awesome!! Just what I have been looking for a very long time. I can tell already that I need to build up some stabilizing muscles in my body. Thanks again for your dedicated research and sharing this incredible book with your fellow golfers." Mike P.

“Just want to tell you that I've been doing the drills for a few weeks now, up to the swing arc drills, and am noticing much improvement at the range. I can't wait to take it out to the course. Thanks for simplifying golf instruction for me!" Rick P.

Dear Eric
"Instantly you made the game fun again. The consistency was amazing, both as to direction as well as trajectory and shot shape. Even the sound of the iron shots was much better. Thanks for an exciting round. I love working through all the steps and drills. Greens in regulation are now the rule and not the exception. More distance, less effort, more accuracy, no sore muscles, more fun." Ron G.

"Eric, best investment I've made so far in all the you know whats out there. I played nine and was nailing my tee shots like I haven't seen in ages. I haven't been more encouraged ever." Peter S.

"Eric, You have an uncanny ability to break down the components of the golf swing into simple terms with great clarity. I gain additional insight each time I read your book “5 Keys to Distance” and review this video. Thank you soooo much. When is your next book coming out? Please put me down for the first release." Orson L.